Friends, Families Lament As Bandits Kidnap Wedding Guests Along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Friends and relatives of four wedding guests who were kidnapped along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway have resorted to social media to beg for assistance following the demand of N15 million by the bandits to release each of their captives.

The Punch reported that the armed hoodlums who were dressed in army uniform abducted seven wedding guests at the Isara, Ogun State end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The kidnap happened early in the morning 6.30 a.m. while the seven were on their way back from Ibadan where they attended a wedding on Sunday.

One of the victims, Folahan Akinsola, told The Punch on Monday, that they were attempting to tow the faulty vehicle when the kidnappers struck.

He said, “We went to attend a wedding in Ibadan on Saturday and lodged there after the wedding. The following day, as early as 5.30am, we started our journey to Lagos State. We moved in a convoy of three vehicles, including two Toyota Corollas and one Toyota Camry.

“I was in the Toyota Camry ahead of the two other vehicles and we were trying to overtake a truck on the expressway. But as our driver overtook the truck, we zoomed off and had moved quite a distance before realising that we could not see others coming behind us.

“So, we turned back and drove against traffic to search for them. We later found them by the roadside around the Isara area. One of the drivers of the Toyota Corolla, Shola, said his car developed a fault. We were cutting the seatbelt of his car to use as rope to tow the vehicle to somewhere safe when four armed men came out of the bush and kidnapped seven of us.”

Out of the seven abducted victims, Akinsola said three persons were released, as the hoodlums demanded N60m ransom for the others.

He added, “The kidnappers were all dressed in Army uniform and commanded us to enter the bush. They were more than four, as there were some of them inside the bush. They took some personal belongings and set some of us free.

“I was part of the people that were released and we were told to go and raise N15m to secure the release of each of the remaining four victims. So, we are to raise N60m and that is why we are seeking help from Nigerians as these kidnappers said they will waste them if they don’t get the money.

“After we regained our freedom, we called 911. We were driving back to Ibadan when we met some metropolitan policemen and also reported the case to them. But we were told that the case was not within their jurisdiction. We were referred to the Isara Police Division.

“We later reported the case there and got to know that the Divisional Police Officer had mobilised about 25 policemen to the scene of the incident. These kidnappers have been sending threat videos showing us our friends in their custody.”

Akinsola identified the victims as Adeola Bude, John Segun, Demola, aka Smith, and Bude’s colleague, Shola.

PUNCH Metro gathered that two of the victims work with the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers.

The spokesperson for NCRIB, Tope Daramola, confirmed the incident.

He said, “Two of our junior staff, Shola Olawuyi and Adeola Bude, were involved and effort is being made to ensure that they are released.”

Kaycee of Port Harcourt who reposted the alert on the incident said:

Greetings Everyone, I need everyone support on this 4 of my friends were kidnapped yesterday 16th January 2022, on their way from a wedding party in IBADAN around 6:30AM actually they were 6, 2 was set free to go look for money @sureshizzy said the incident happened before ISHARA Bridge facing Lagos and the DPO of ISHARA POLICE STATION was later called to the spot where they towed their vehicles to the station.

One of the friends of the wedding guests, victims, Olajuwon Osineye while cautioning travellers along the Lagos Ibadan Expressway said:

This is heavy trauma… Pls avoid Ibadan Express way or unnecessary travelling for now, they kidnapped four of our guy yesterday evening while heading back to Lagos from Ibadan and demanding 15m each and they will be killed failing to do so before 12pm today… kindly help a brother with anything you can on account bellow..

0017430653 GTB. 

Akinsola Folahan joshua..

May we never be victim of these bad people by His Grace???????

Source: Punch

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